As well as recently joining the MCIA, RideSafe BackSafe has now expanded to include Cumbria Road Safety Partnership with immediate effect. Britain’s second largest county is a magnet for many motorcyclists who are drawn to beautiful countryside, wide open roads and sweeping bends. And Cumbria has the same concerns for the well-being of both local and visiting bikers as they travel through the county.

Road Safety Co-ordinator for Cumbria Road Safety Partnership, Chris Broadbent explains: “During the last six years the total number of fatalities and serious injuries in road traffic collisions has reduced in Cumbria, but motorcyclists and especially young riders, still represent a disproportionately high number of casualties. RideSafe BackSafe is established, friendly and trusted by motorcycling enthusiasts because it is run ‘by bikers, for bikers’. By joining a well-known initiative that already works well in neighbouring Lancashire, as well as Greater Manchester and Merseyside, Cumbria is reinforcing its commitment to the motorcycling community“.

RideSafe BackSafe does not manage safety cameras and is not police-led; although police motorcyclists and BikeSafe, together with IAM, BMF, MAG and KillSpills, play a part in its promotional activities.

The initiative focuses on the vulnerability of bikers and promotes the benefits of ‘post-test’ training and rider assessment schemes, as well as the need for all bikers to wear proper kit and body armour. This is achieved by building relationships with motorcycle dealers, meeting bikers socially at bike meets, shows and dealer open days and by working closely with the motorcycle industry as whole.

The RideSafe BackSafe team is well aware that bikers are not always at fault when collisions occur and therefore, promoting the “THINK BIKE, THINK BIKER” campaign to other road users is of equal importance.           

More information, advice, news and events are featured at www.ridesafebacksafe.co.uk

News that bus lanes in the Bedford Borough are to be open to motorcycles for a trial period has been welcomed by the bmf.

Designed to reduce congestion around the town centre, the eighteen-month trial starts today and will also include bicycles, taxis and private hire vehicles.

Bedford has four bus lanes in the town centre and for many years local bmf activists have lobbied for motorcycle access. Councillor Charles Royden, Portfolio Holder for the Environment and Transport, said: “I am delighted we have been able to open our bus lanes to more people whilst ensuring they continue to encourage people to consider more sustainable forms of transport.”

Chris Hodder the bmf’s Government Relations Executive said: “Access to bus lanes is one of the bmf's main campaigns so we are very happy to show what local bmf activists can achieve. No doubt this will improve the lives of riders in Bedford and hopefully will inspire those local authorities who are still unsure over allowing motorcycles into their bus lanes."

A long-term campaigner for bus lane use by motorcyclists, the bmf say that London’s recently extended trial has shown that such schemes work well and bear out experiences from other permanent and trial sites. However despite several UK towns and cities adopting bus lane use*, this is still not a national policy and that is what is now wanted from the Government say the bmf

*Note: Bus lane access has been allowed in: Bristol (has operated a permanent bus lane access since 1996) and Reading (since 1999). Other sites are in: Northern Ireland, Birmingham, Colchester, Derby, Bath, Hull, Swindon, Richmond on Thames, Newcastle on Tyne, Sunderland, Plymouth and the M4 bus lane. Most of London’s red routes are now currently being trialled for motorcycle use.

Castel Gandolfo (Rome) 15 September, 2010 - The gift of two Ducati Multistrada motorcycles for the Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City has been presented to Pope Bendictus XVI to be used as part of the Pope’s official security motorcade.

During a ceremony at Castel Gandolfo, Ducati Motor Holding made the gift of two Ducati Multistradas to the Pope, the motorcycles specially prepared as special escort vehicles for the Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City during official security duties for the Pontiff.

The two 1200cc Ducati Multistrada motorcycles, finished in the special livery of the Pontifical State, were delivered directly to the Pope’s summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Rome on 15 September. In the beautiful gardens adjoining the villa, a delegation of top management from the world-famous Italian motorcycle manufacturer officially presented the gift to His Holiness, Pope Bendictus XVI.

At the ceremony today, Carlo Bonomi, Andrea Bonomi (President of Investindustrial) and Gabriele Del Torchio (President of Ducati Motor Holding) had the honour of presenting the keys of the Ducati motorcycles personally to the Pontiff, and to greet him on behalf of the entire Ducati Company.

“We are very honoured for the unique opportunity of delivering our two special Ducati Multistradas to His Holiness today,” stated Gabriele Del Torchio, President at Ducati Motor Holding, after the ceremony. “For us, and for everyone who works at Ducati, this event represents something to be very proud of and a gesture that reinforces our daily commitment in our work at the factory. It is a symbolic gift with which we would like to express our sincerest appreciation and respect for the Pope and embrace his message of hope and trust in the future, which he addressed to all industries in his encyclical Caritas in Veritate.”

Thanks to Ducati’s gift, this will be the first time in history that the Vatican Gendarmerie Corp will use motorcycles in their delicate security tasks and the fact that this privilege has been given to an Italian manufacturer, gives merit and additional pride to all Italian industry. Furthermore, it strengthens the aura of excellence that already surrounds the dynamic and innovative motorcycle manufacturer, Ducati.

The new Multistrada 1200 has been finished in the special Pontifical livery of yellow and white and is extensively modified for the Gendarmerie Corp with a vertically telescopic flashing light mast, siren and radio communication. The Ducati Multistrada 1200 represents a completely new concept of motorcycle, designed to tackle any kind of journey and road surface by using technology derived directly from the Bologna-made race bikes that compete in MotoGP and World Superbike. The motorcycle has few limits and can transform itself to suit any rider’s demands at the press of a button. Described as being four-bikes-in-one, the Multistrada can transform itself from a sport bike to a touring bike suitable for long journeys with a passenger and luggage, or from an everyday commuter bike to an agile enduro bike, which can tackle off-road routes with ease. In designing the Multistrada, Ducati’s goal was to create a versatile motorcycle able to achieve impressive levels of performance at all times and in all places and their special blend of Italian innovation, elegance, style and technology perfectly characterises the motorcycles that come out of its Bologna factory.

The European Commission has launched an internet consultation to gauge reaction to the idea of a standardised EU MOT which might be far more demanding than the British one.  
 
They are also considering increasing the frequency of inspections and a requirement to have vehicles re-inspected if they have been modified since being tested or if the vehicle is sold.  
 
Road-side spot-checks specifically for motorcycles are also under consideration.
 
Harmonisation to the harshest test conditions currently found in any member state is an option being considered. Currently the most severe test regime is endured by Germany where riders face a far more stringent regime of testing and restriction than the UK enforces.
 
Nich Brown, General Secretary of MAG(UK), said “The scope of this consultation confirms that the EU is contemplating a draconian and expensive burden on riders. All riders need to act now to challenge the potential excesses of yet another pan-European system that fails to meet the needs of individual nations.”
 
The questions in the on-line consultation form are pitched in a suspicious manner which suggests that its architects have assumed the merit of such an initiative. It is also worrying that the consultation is published only in English whereas most of the countries who currently have no MOT equivalent test and so will be most affected, are not English speaking. Worse still, only three weeks have been allowed for stakeholders to respond.
 
The worst scenario option which the questionnaire encourages participants to support, contradicts the claim by the EU that they wish to reduce the burdens on citizens.
 
Nich Brown added
“Since vehicle defects are implicated in less than1% of motorcycle crashes in Great Britain and many of that 1% are simply down to under-inflated tyres this whole plan has the look of an expensive red herring.”
 
MAG is encouraging riders to complete the survey and opt for the ‘no change’ to present system option.
 
The consultation runs until 24th September 2010 http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=roadworthiness